Revlon Hands Media Account to MediaCom‏

Beauty Marketer Splits From Carat Without a Review

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Beauty product marketer Revlon has switched its nearly $100 million U.S. media-planning and -buying account from Aegis' Carat to WPP's MediaCom without a review, executives with knowledge of the situation have confirmed. The split is apparently due to Revlon and Carat being unable to agree to financial terms, executives have said.

It would appear that Revlon continues to have issues when it comes to financial terms with agencies, as this situation is similar to one the beauty marketer found itself in in 2007, when it had initially decided to switch media-planning and -buying duties from Carat to Interpublic Group of Cos.' Initiative, but went back to Carat afterward, citing contract issues with Initiative.

The agencies could not be reached for comment and Revlon did not return calls before press time.

Late last year Carat picked up communications-planning duties on P&G's Gillette male-grooming business in North America, which includes hair care and body wash. Some believe the influx of P&G business for Carat has created conflicts with some of its other brands, such as Revlon and Alberto Culver, which recently launched a review of its media business.

Last fall MediaCom picked up all of Revlon's media-planning and -buying business in Canada, also without a review.